Library apparatus, control method and control program thereof, and information processing apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a configuration to implement a robot replacement in a library apparatus while maintaining an electrically-activated state. In such a configuration, the library apparatus storing a recording medium (cartridge) for writing and reading information with a host computer, comprises a plurality of robot units, which carries the recording medium; and a control unit (library control unit) which stops power feeding to the robot units if an event is generated until processing time of the event or predetermined time elapses and which transmits to a query from the host computer a response representing that the processing of the event is in progress.

1. A library apparatus storing one or more recording mediums for writing and reading information with a host computer, comprising:
 a plurality of robot units, each robot unit configured to carry the recording mediums; and 
 a control unit, which, if an event is generated, stops power from being fed to the robot units until a predetermined time, which is set irrelevant of the progress of the event, elapses, the control unit maintaining a state that is able to respond to the host computer during the predetermined time, and transmitting, in response to a query from the host computer, a response representing that the processing of the event is in progress; 
 wherein if an execution instruction has already been given from the host computer to the control unit before the event generation, the control unit makes the robot units operate to complete the execution instruction in advance of the stoppage of power to the robot units; and 
 if the predetermined time elapses, the control unit discontinues the event irrelevant of the completion of the event, and resumes feeding power to the robot units. 
 
   
   
     2. The library apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an information input unit for inputting information representing the event generation. 
 
   
   
     3. The library apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control unit accepts an instruction from the host computer after transmitting to the host computer a notification output representing that the event is completed. 
 
   
   
     4. A library apparatus storing one or more recording mediums for writing and reading information with a host computer, comprising:
 a plurality of robot units, each robot unit configured to carry the recording mediums; and 
 a control unit, which, if an event is generated, stops power from being fed to the robot units until a processing time of the event or a predetermined time elapses, the control unit transmitting, in response to a query from the host computer, a response representing that the processing of the event is in progress, 
 wherein the control unit monitors a passage of time from the stoppage of power to the robot units and generates a notification output representing that the predetermined time has elapsed. 
 
   
   
     5. The library apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a notification unit which issues an alarm due to the notification output. 
 
   
   
     6. A control method of a library apparatus storing one or more recording mediums for writing and reading information with a host computer, the method comprising the steps of:
 using robot units to carry the recording mediums; 
 stopping power from being fed to the robot units, if an event is generated, until a predetermined time, which is set irrelevant of the progress of the event, elapses, maintaining a state that is able to respond to the host computer during the processing time of the event or the predetermined time, and transmitting in response to a query from the host computer, a response representing that the processing of the event is in progress; 
 operating the robot units to complete an execution instruction in advance of the stoppage of power to the robot units in a ease where the execution instruction has already been given from the host computer to the control unit before the event generation; and 
 if the predetermined time elapses, discontinuing the event irrelevant of the completion of the event, and resuming to feed power to the robot units. 
 
   
   
     7. The control method of a library apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
 inputting information representing the event generation into an information input unit. 
 
   
   
     8. The control method of a library apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
 accepting an instruction from the host computer after transmitting to the host computer a notification output representing that the event is completed. 
 
   
   
     9. A control method of a library apparatus storing a recording medium for writing and reading information with a host computer, the method comprising the steps of:
 using robot units to carry the recording medium; 
 stopping power from being fed to the robot units, if an event is generated, until a processing time of the event or a predetermined time elapses, and transmitting in response to a query from the host computer, a response representing that the processing of the event is in progress; and 
 monitoring a passage of time from the stoppage of power to the robot units and generating a notification representing that the predetermined time has elapsed. 
 
   
   
     10. The control method of a library apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 issuing an alarm based on the notification. 
 
   
   
     11. A computer readable medium having a control program of a library apparatus storing one or more recording mediums for writing and reading information with a host computer, the program causing the library apparatus to execute the steps of:
 using robot units to carry the recording medium; 
 stopping power from being fed to the robot units, if an event is generated, until a predetermined time, which is set irrelevant of the progress of the event, elapses, maintaining a state able to respond to the host computer during the predetermined time, and transmitting in response to a query from the host computer, a response representing that the processing of the event is in progress; 
 operating the robot units to complete an execution instruction in advance of the stoppage of power to the robot units in a case where the execution instruction has already been given from the host computer to the control unit before the event generation; and 
 if the predetermined time elapses, discontinuing the event irrelevant to completion of the event, and resuming to feed power to the robot units. 
 
   
   
     12. The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the control program further causes the library apparatus to execute the step of:
 inputting information representing the event generation into an information input unit. 
 
   
   
     13. The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the control program further causes the library apparatus to execute the step of:
 accepting an instruction from the host computer after transmitting to the host computer a notification output representing that the event is completed. 
 
   
   
     14. A computer readable medium having a control program of a library apparatus storing recording mediums for writing and reading information with a host computer, the program causing the library apparatus to execute the steps of:
 using robot units to carry the recording medium; 
 stopping power from being fed to the robot units, if an event is generated, until a processing time of the event or a predetermined time elapses, and transmitting in response to a query from the host computer, a response representing that the processing of the event is in progress; and 
 monitoring a passage of time from stoppage of power to the robot units and generating a notification representing that the predetermined time has elapsed. 
 
   
   
     15. The computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the control program further causes the library apparatus to execute the step of:
 issuing an alarm based on the notification. 
 
   
   
     16. An information processing apparatus comprising a host computer and a library apparatus storing recording mediums for writing and reading information,
 wherein the library apparatus comprises: 
 a plurality of robot units, which carry the recording mediums; and 
 a control unit, which, if an event is generated, transmits in response to a query of the host computer a notification representing a processing of an event, which stops power from being fed to the robot units until a predetermined time, which is set irrelevant of the progress of the event, elapses, which keeps up a state that is able to respond to the host computer during the predetermined time, which discontinues the event irrelevant of the completion of the event if the predetermined time elapses, and which resumes feeding power to the robot units to accept an instruction from the host computer; and 
 wherein if an execution instruction has already been given from the host computer to the control unit before the event generation, the control unit makes the robot units operate to complete the execution instruction in advance of the stoppage of power to the robot units. 
 
   
   
     17. The information processing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the library apparatus comprises:
 an information input unit for inputting information representing the event generation. 
 
   
   
     18. The information processing apparatus of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the control unit accepts an instruction from the host computer after transmitting to the host computer a notification output representing that the event is completed. 
 
   
   
     19. An information processing apparatus comprising a host computer and a library apparatus storing recording mediums for writing and reading information,
 wherein the library apparatus comprises: 
 a plurality of robot units, each robot unit configured to carry the recording mediums; and 
 a control unit, which, if an event is generated, transmits in response to a query of the host computer a notification representing a processing of the event, which stops power being fed to the robot units during the processing of the event and which resumes the power being fed to the robot units after completion of the processing of the event or after a predetermined time has elapsed to accept an instruction from the host computer, wherein the control unit monitors a passage of time from the stoppage of power to the robot units and generates a notification output representing that the predetermined time has elapsed. 
 
   
   
     20. The information processing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the library apparatus further comprises:
 a notification unit which issues an alarm due to the notification output.